dienner



Feb. 4, 1930. J. A. DIENNER 1,745,568

FUEL FEED SYSTEM F116d. F9b. 11, 1924 2 SheBtS-Shee?.

Gre/21??" Feb. 4, 1930. I J. A. DIENNER 1,745,568

FUEL FEED SYSTEM I l A Filled Feb. 11, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHIYURETERV lll Panarea Feb. 4, 1930 UNITED ASTATES PATENT` OFFICE JOHN A.DIENN'ER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASISIGNOB T0 STROMBERG MOTOR DEVICESCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FUEL-rem)SYSTEM Appucamnmea February 11, 1924. serial No. 691,912.-

vention has other uses and applications which are contemplated withinthe scope of the appended claims.

In supplying liquid fuel to an internal combustion engine particularlyofthe automobile type, it is to be noted that the demands of the enginecover a wide range of variations. That is to say, assume that the enginehas speeds of from 200 to 2,000 revolutions per minute it will be seenat once that there is a wide range of variation of the heat which isavailable to operate the pumping device. In a system of this class whichoper- `ates on the heat of the engine and which isv designed to secure abetween the amount o y amount of fuel pumped, it is desirable thatgeneral correspondence the device have a wide range of action.

It is highly important that the system be put into operation as promptlyas possible after the starting of the engine, and it is desirable thatthe system' maintain a reserve forthe carbureter for starting purposesand for warming up the engine, and that the system should also maintainasupply of liquid for priming the pum In order that t e device may notbe overpowered by excess heat at high engine speeds and in order thatthe device may operate satisfactorily with a relatively low supply of 40heat at lower engine speed,.it is desirable that means be provided formaking strokes of the pump in an orderly progression in substantialaccordance with the heat in ut. j In my original device, as disc osed inthe above mentioned patent, I have' employed a fuel employed and theiloat valve forcompelling the orderly makl ing of strokes. A device ofthis character is in reality a small heat engine workin .upon a workingHuid which is the fuel or the engine. bince the 'device is in reality aheat engine it must progress according to a regular thermo-dynamic cycleand thisl cycle must be under regular control.

In order tofspeed up the action of initial vaporization `for startingthe pumping action, I provide first a separate vapor forming chamberarranged rto heat the body of liquid to the point of forming vapor asrapidly as possible.-

This vapor forming chamber is separated from the working chamber which'yis adapted to receive vapor from the vaporizin chamber and to expelliquid therefrom an I provide an absorber of the heat of the vapor forcondensing the vapor so as to permit refilling of the working chamberwith liquid.

I convey the vapor formed in the Vaporizing chamber to a closed trap orworking chamber for expelling the contents to cause a liquid dischargefrom the umping mechanism. The vapor may then Ibe expelled from theworking chamber or liquid may be injected into the chamber in order tocondense the vapor for lling the chamber.

These actions are carried out in a regular cycle. Since the vaporizingchamber is separate from the working chamber andthe con densing chamberis arranged to maintain the liquid out of the Working chamber, it makesno difference how hot the heating or vaporizing chamber gets nor howcold the condensing chamber gets so long as the required difference intemperature is maintained suitable for working the device.

In order to' acquaint those skilled in the art with the method ofconstructino and operating my invention I shall now describe a specificembodimentvof the same in connec- 'tion with the accompanying drawings.

Figure Lis a diagram of nv system em- Cil bodying my invention, empuyingas the vaporizing chamber, a closed end tube; j

Fig. 2 is a modification in which the heating chamber is a pipe, bothends of which communicate with the working chamber. In this constructionthe Working chamber is inormally separated from the condensing liquidchamber by a float valve; y

Fig. 3'is a sectional view through the vaporizing chamber shown in Fig.l;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic layout of a system similar to that shown inFig. 1 employing, however, a vertical pipein contact with the exhaustgases for the vaporizing chamber;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a system similar to Fig. 4 in which, however, theliquid from the main tank is injected into the workingchamber; and

Fig. 6 is across sectional view through the working chamber showing themanner of ntlnmting the sameupon the exhaust mani- As I have shown inFig. 1, the main tank 1 for liquid fuel is placed at a lower level thanthe reservoir 2 and the pumping device 3.

'he pumping device 3 takes liquid from the low level tank 1 through thesuction pipe 4 and discharges the same into the reservoir 2 through acheck valve 5 which connects dil rectlywith the pipe or conduit 7, thispipe or ther fuel will be pumped.

conduit communicating with the bottom of the reservoir 2 and leading tothe carbureter:

as indicated on the diagram. The reservoir l2 is open at its top asindicated at the opengoverning' a valve 10, which valve seats at the topof a standpipe 11. This standpipe 11 comprises first a communicationbetween the reservoir 2 and the trap 12, which communication is openedonly when liquid in the reservoir 2 reaches a high level which raisesthe float valve 9-10v from the valve seat in the.

top of the standpipe 11.

This standpipe also tends to trap suiicient fuel below thesame in thereservoir 2 to supply the carbureter with a starting charge for warmingup the engine to the point where fur- The height of the standpipe 11 maybe made any desired value within limits, for accomplishing this purpose.

The suction pipe 4 leads from' the bottom of the main tank 1 to the topof the trap 12. This trap is formed in the intake pipe for trappingsufficient liquid to invariably prime the pumping device 3 even if theautomobile should stand for a time unused.

The bottom of the trap 12 communicates through a conduit 13 and checkvalve 14 with chamber 15, which chamber 15 is termed herein, thecondensing liquid chamber. It is so designated because it contains the.liquid which is employed in condensing the vapor `considerable period oflng 8 to atmosphere, and it contains a ioat 9" Limites- Vfrom theworking chamber. The working.

chamber in this case comprises an inverted U- shaped passageway 16 fortrapping vapor and for expelling liquid. At its outer end this U-shapedpassageway 16 terminates in a' vaporizing chamber 17, in this case shownas is open to thje chamber 15 so that it communicates. with thecondensing liquid in said chamber 15.

It is to be noted that the enlargement 20 comprises the major part ofthe working chamber and the function of the same isV to trap vapors atits upper end and to expel liquid at its lower end until the workingchamber is substantially whereupon condensation of the vapor occurs with'a contraction ofthe vapor and a suction of further liquid through thetrap 12.

The'operation of this system is as follows:

Liquid fromv the reservoir 2 passes out through the conduit 7 throughthe carbureter, supplying the same with liquid. `-Now assuming that theengine is cold, the engine may be started with the liquid trapped in thereservoir 2 below the top of the standpipe 11, or, in fact, any amountof the liquid which may be in said reservoir. The heat of the exuntilthe liquid is substantially discharged therefrom, whereupon the vaporrises under the end of'said working chamber-20 over into the condensingliquid chamber 15. As the liquid is depressed in the working chamber 20it is expelled out past thc check valve 5 into theconduit 7, such thecarbureter passing down to said carbureter and the 4remainder beingdriven over and up .into the reservoir 2.

As soon as the vapor passes under the end of the working chamber 20 outinto the liquid condensing chamber 15 the pressure is suddenly relievedand the same time the liquid condenses the vapor causing a rapidshrinkage with the result that a suction is created in said chamber 15and liquid is therefore drawn from the main tank l through the sucemptyof liquid As vapor is part as is required by tion pipey 4 through thetrap 12 and past the f mation again exceeds the entering rate ofliquidwhereupon another expulsion stroke nwill occur. Whenever the vaporizingchamber 17 becomes empty of liquid it will cease shown in Fig. 1provides,

to form further vapor ,with the result that the rate of condensationwill exceed the rate of vapor formation and liquid will rise in theworking chamber until it runs over the top part of the same, and bygravity runs into the vaporizing chamber 17, whereupon successivestrokes will again occur.

It is to be noted that the excess of liquid pumped by the pumping device3 results merely in a circulation of the liquid up into the reservoir 2and when suiicient liquid has been'stored in the lreservoir 2 to liftthe ioat valve 9-10 the weight of the column of liquid in the pipe 4will tend to' withdraw liquid and 'bring the float valve 10 back uponits seat. y

Now it will be noted that the system as first a starting charge in thereservoir 2 for supplying the carbureter. Furthermore the'reservoirprovides liquid for sealing the valve 10 and if this valve should leakand permit the contents above the valve to pass down into the ytrap 12,air will then follow and-break the partial vacuum at the top of the trap12, perniitting the pipe 4 to empty but to retain a charge in the trap12 for keeping the pump-v ing device 3 full of liquid.

Since the two check'valves 5 and 14 are in series it is unlikely thatboth of these check valves will leak and consequently the startingcharge for the carbureter will be maintained.

In Fig. -3 I have shown the vaporizing chamber in section. Thiscomprises a smal closed end brass tube 21, the upper end of which isexpanded as indicated at 22, into a groove formed in the itting 23. Thisfitting 23 has a thread 24 for the connection of the pipe or conduit 16and it has a `flange 25 which is held between layers of insulatingmaterial 26 and 27 Yas by means of the clamping ring 28. In this mannerthe transmission of heat either to or from said fitting 23 and[consequently the liquid inthe vaporizing chamber 17 is prevented. Thisis for the purpose of permitting the vaporizing chamber to heat itsliquid rapidly without giving up heat to the exhaust pipe 18 and also topre- 'vent heat from the exhaust pipe 18 being transmitted to thevaporizing chamber an to the liquid therein when the exhaust plpe ishot.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified system in which thesame arrangement ofa separate l working .chamber and vaporizing chamber and liquidcondensing chamber is provided.' In this casey the reservoir 2 has anoverflow pipe 31 leading back to the main supply chamber 1 for returningliquid. when the reservoir 2 is full. The suctionpipe4 `leads past thecheck valve 32 into the liquid trap 33, which in this case is also thecondensing liquid chamber. The trap 33 in this case`Y is formed asVfloat 39. A

a continuation of the reservoir 2, the two chambers being separated by awall which A pipe 35 leads to the carbureter from a point adjacent thebottom of the reservoir 2. The condensing liquid chamber and trap 33leads by way of a short pipe connection 36 to the top of the workingchamber 37, this working chamber having a valve seat 38 at the pointwhere the connection 36 enters said chamber 37. A float 39 bearing avalve 40 at its upper end is contained in said working chamber 37 andwhen the liquid has substantially filled the working chamber 37 thevalve 40 closes against the' seat 38 and is held there by the of theworking chamber 37 to the vertical pipe 42, which in this case forms theheating chamber.I The lower end of the vertical pipe 42 which forms avaporizing chamber, communicates past check valve 43 with the bottomof-a working chamber 37 through the pipe 44. A'branch from the pipe 44shown at 45 leads through check Valve 46 to the reservoir pipe 41 leadsfrom the upper endl 2 through the pipe 35. It may be led into thereservoir 2 independent of the pipe 35. The branch connection for thepipe 45 lies on the pipe 44 between the check valve 43 and the workingchamber 37.

The operation of'this device is as follows:

Assuming that the system is full of liquid, and it may be so filled bymeans of the filling cap 8, the engine may charge which is trapped inthe reservoir 2. Upon the heated gas striking the pipe 42 vapor isformed therein and this rises to the pipe 4l and then to the upper partof the working chamber 37 gradually depressing the liquid therein andforcing the same up to the connection 45 until the liquid in the workingchamber 37 no longer supports the float 38. It is to be noted thatvliquid may escape from the heating chamber 42 in both directions, butcan enter the same only from the top connection 41 as here shown. Thistends to give a longer time period to the strokes but if desired thevalve 43 may be dispensed with and then the rate of making strokes willtend to be more rapid and less orderly. When the oat 39 loses itssupportin .the liquid it opens valve 40 and liquid from said trap 33comes in contact with the vapor and the result is a partial condensationof the vapor in the working chamber 37 with a contraction of be startedfrom the' the contents thereof,y the result being that the liquid willcome up through the suction pipe 4. So long as the suction persists inthe.

l liquid will flow into said working chamber pumping device comprisesthe pipe 54 opposite said portor passageway 62 is the pocket 60containing the heating pipe or chamber 55. During a relatively low speedof the engine the amount of .gases coming from cylinder 1 is not sogreat 4as to disturb the inflow of gases from the port 62 directly intothe pocket 60, but if a substantial amount of gases is being dischargedfrom cylinder No. 1 or from the cylinders in advance of the port 62,then there is a tendency to deworking chamber 37 due to thiscondensation,

37 even though the valve 40 tends to close under the influence of thefloat 39. The result is that condensation continues until liquid runs inthe pipe 41 over into the pipe 42 where vaporization again occurs and asucceeding stroke is made by lowering of the liquid level in the chamber37.

It is to be noted that' in connection with both Figs. 1 andl 2 thesystem may be put into working condition by pouring a suitable chargeinto the reservoir2 or 2 until the same is full.

It is to be noted that in a system of Fig. 1 the check valve'14 in thesuction line is posterior to the trap 12 while in the system of Fig. 2the check valve 32 is anterior to the trap 33.

It is also to be noted .in connection with Fig. 2 that the check valve43 is specifically employed for preventing condensing where the heatingof the chamber 42 is relatively slow, but as heretofore explained, thecheck valve 43 may be dispensed with if desired.

In the system shown in F ig. 4 the reservoir 48 is`placed above the trap49, which trap 49 also serves as the condensing liquid chamber. TheAreservoir 48 is adapted to retain a charge for the carbureter, whichcarbureter is fed by way of the pipe 51 leadingv from the bottom of saidreservoir 48. The discharge pipe into the reservoir 48 terminates asindicated at 52 a substantial distance below thetop of the overflow pipe31 so .that there is a body of liquid above the top of the pipe 52 fornormally sealing the check valve 53 in said discharge pipe, but even ifthe liquid above the top of the discharge pipe 52 should lleak past thevalve 53, air leaking in and past the valve 53 would enter the top ofthe trap 49 and then be stopped by the check valve B2, or if it leaksthe air would then simply permit liquid in the suction pipe '4 to dropwithout disturbing the charge for the carbureter or for priming thepumping device 50. This pocket 60 and relatively less heat strikes saideating pipe 55.

It is therefore possible to have a less effecengine speed than for lowerengine speed; or to put it another way, when the volume of gas ispassingthrough the exhaust pipe 61 'is great, then the rate of heat transfer tothe pipe 55 is not so great as when the volume is less. The desiredresult is that there isa greater effectiveness of heat transfer at lowspeed than at high speed, so that the device will not pump too great anexcess of fuel at high speed when it is setto pump at a relatively rapidrate at low speed.

substantially the same as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 inthe main features of operation; namely the first formation of vapor inthe vaporizing chamber 55, which then passes over through the pipe 54into the top of the working chamber 56, expelling the liquid out ofthebottom and driving liquid up through the discharge pipe 52 past checkAvalve 53 into the reservoir 48. Upon discharge of vapor from theworking chamber 56 the vapor tends'to rise and expand, but is quicklycondensed by the liquid in said condensing liquid chamber 49 wherewupona shrinkage of the contents of the working chamber 56 rapidly occurs anda suction stroke is made, raising liquid through the suction pipe 4.When the condensing action begins, that is when the pressure in thechamber 55 and the working chamber 56 drops, liquid can then enter thevaporizing chamber 55 through the check valve 59. This check valve tendsto remain closed so long as the pressure in th'e vaporizing chamber 55increases rapidly enough to expel liquid from the working chamber 56.The check valve 59 is not absolutely essential since there is notendency for a convection current to beset up due to the invertedU-shape of the working chamber and its connected vaporizing chamber,butl the tendency of the valve 59 is to hold a charge of liquid in thevaporizing chamber 55 so that'continuous vaporization can occur untilthe working chamber 56 is substantially emptied and vapor dischargedtherefrom before further liquid will b'e injected into said vaporizingpipe y55. y

f The system of Fig. 5 is substantially the same as that shown `in Fig.4 with the exwhich connects the vertical pipe 55, which pipe 55 is thevaporizing chamber, with the working chamber 56. The working chamber, inthis case, has at its top a small bleeder` hole 57 to permit air or gasto pass out of the same when the device is full of liquid.

The bottom of the trap and condensing liquid chamber 49 communicates byway of a pipe 58 through check valve 59 with the bottom of a vaporizingpipe 55.

This vaporizing pipe 55 is' placed in a pocket 60 in the outside of theexhaust pipe 61 and opposite the port 62 where an intermediate cylinderor pair of cylinders discharges its gases into the body of the exhaustpipe 61. That is to say in a four cylinder engine, cylinders 2 and 3discharge their exhaust through the passageway or port 62 into the mainbody of the exhaust pipe 61 and iiect the gases entering the port 62from the tive transfer Of heat per stroke for higher.

The operation of the system, further, isn

- of the working chamber results in the injection of relatively coldliquid directly into the working chamber. That is to sayinstead ofdischarging the vapor into the condensing liquidcha'mber and thendepending upon the entry of the same liquid into the working chamber tocondense the vapor, a dierent charge of liquid is drawn into saidworking chamber. The pipe 64 need' not be led directly up through thebottom of the Working'chamber 56; it may lead up laterally and dischargeinto the top of the working chamber if desired. The other parts of thesystem are the same as those described in connectionwith Fig. 4; i

I have shown a heat insulating device such as a piece of asbestos boardor the like interposed between the exhaust manifold and the condensingliquid trap 49. A

It is to be understood that the condensing liquid is to be maintained atas low a temperature as it is possible to do so, in order' that easytransfer of heat from the Vapor to the liquid may be made. It is alsoadvisable to insulate the pipe which connects the va orizing chamberwith the working cham er; that is the top of the vapor trap, so as toprevent loss of heat in condensation.l

I have shown in Fig.- 6 now the pipe 55 may be mounted'in a fitting. 66as by means of the flange 67 lying between the layers of insulation 68and 69 and fheld in place by clamping ring 70. The upper end of the pipe55 'is flared out and is held by means of a coupling 71 in connectionwith the pipe 54 by means of a double cone fitting 7 2.

The heatinsulating material for the pipe 54 is indicated at 7 3 on Figs.4 and 5.

I do not intend to be limited to the details shown or described.

I claim: i

1. In combination, ya low level source of liquid supply, a source ofdemand,a chamber for enerating liquid vapor, a pumping cham er separatefrom .and communicating with saidvapor generating chamber, a reservoirfor receiving liquid from the pumping chamber, a suction connectionbetween the pumping chamber and the low level source of liquid supply,means for heating the vapor generating chamber independently of `thepumping chamber, and .a trap for liquid 1n the suction connection, saidtrap being disposed above the pumping chamber and the vaporizingfchamberto feed saidchambers by gravit 2. In combination, a lowl level source ofliquid supply, a source ofdemand, a chamber for generating -liquidvapor, a pumping chamber separate from and communicating with said vaporgenerating chamber, a reservoir receiving liquid from-the pumping vaporto condense the same rapidly, said conchamber and for supplying thesource of demand, a suction connection between the pumping chamber andthe low level sourceof liquid supply, means for heating the vaporgenerating chamber independently of the pumping chamber, and acondensing chamber communicating at its lower end with the pumpingchamber and having means for exposing a relatively large area of liquidto the 75 densing chamber.

3. In combination, a low level source of liquid supply, a source ofdemand, a condensing chamber, a suction connection from the condensingchamber to the low level source of liquid supply, a liquid trap in saidsuction connection disposed above the condensing chamber, a reservoirconnected to the condensing chamber and adapted to receive liquid fueldischarged therefrom, a connection from the reservoir to the source ofdemand, an inverted double-legged U-shaped assageway, one leg thereofbeing dispose inthe condensing chamber and forming a working chamber,and the other leg disposed externally of said condensing chamber andformin a vapor generating chamber, and, means or heating 'said vaporgenerating chamber independently of said working chamber.

4. In combination, a low level source of liquid supply, a source ofdemand, a vaporizing chamber, a working chamberconnected to saidvaporizing chamber, a condensing chamber having open communication withthe bottom of the working chamber and being disposed therein, a suctionconnection from the condensing chamber to the source of liquid supply,areservoi'r connected to the source of demand, a discharge connectionfrom the condensing chamber to the reservoir, and a trap in the suctionconnection between the condensing chamber and the source of liquidsupply.

5. In combination, means for conveying a low of heated gases, said gaseshaving different rates of flow, an engine having an exhaust outletdischarging into said conveying means, and a heat operated pumpingdevice exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases and chamber embracingthe pumping disposed out of the main path of heated gas flow throughsaid conveying means, said heat operated pumping device being disposedsubstantially in alignment with the path of discharge of exhaust gasesfrom the engine into said conveyingmeans. l l

6. In combinatiommeans for conveying a flow of heated gases, said gaseshaving different rates of flow, a heat operated pumping device exposedto the heat of said gases, means for rendering said pumping device lessresponsive for high rates of flow than for low rates of flow of saidgases through said conveying means, Said means comprisinga source ofheated gas supply discharging laterally into the path of heated gas lowthrough said conve ing means and in a direction across said ow, and aheat sensitive device forming a part of said heat operated pumpingdevice and dis osed laterally out of the path of the heate gas Howthrough said conveying means on the opposite side.-

thereof andin alinement withthe discharge of heated gases into the lowof gases through said conveying means.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day ofFebruary, 1924.

JOHN A. DIENNER.

